Parliamentary questions
Carolyn Leckie
686 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
28 Nov 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-29917 by Mr Andy Kerr on 28 November 2006, what communications it has had, or intends to have, with either United Healthcare or its president, Simon Stevens.
Answer · Andy Kerr: Further to the answers to questionsS2W-29916 and S2W-29917, both on 27 November 2006, I understand that previous Scottish Executive Health Ministers and officialsmet with Simon Stevens in his capacity as an adviser to the Prime Minister. In early2005, Simon S…
27 Nov 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive which NHS board maternity services that previously offered routine anomaly second ultrasound scanning have withdrawn that provision.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: This information is not heldcentrally.</p>
27 Nov 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive which NHS board maternity services are compliant with NHS Quality Improvement Scotland standards on ultrasound scanning.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: This information isnot held centrally.</p><p>I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-30189 on 12 December 2006. All answers to writtenparliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website the search facilityfor which can be found at <ahre…
27 Nov 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when all NHS board maternity services will offer women a routine anomaly second ultrasound scan, in line with NHS Quality Improvement Scotland standards.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: NHS Quality Improvement Scotland willpublish the result of their review of clinical standards in maternity services nextmonth. We expect to receive the most up to date expert advice from the UK NationalScreening Committee in March 2007. On-going work with boa…
21 Nov 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether any of the flu vaccines being administered to pregnant women and children as part of the current immunisation programme contain thiomersal (mercury).
Answer · Andy Kerr: Pregnant women and children arenot in the recommended groups for vaccination unless they are in one of the “atrisk groups”.</p><p>Inthis year’s flu programme there is only one vaccine (Fluarix) which containsthiomersal (mercury) and could be offered to pregna…
21 Nov 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether its policy is to allow NHS boards to put clinical services out to tender without public consultation.
Answer · Andy Kerr: NHS boards are expected tofollow established arrangements in securing the provision of clinical serviceswith the key criteria being to deliver safe, high quality clinical care whichis responsive to patients' needs and offers value for money. Where materialcha…
21 Nov 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will intervene in the decision of NHS Lanarkshire to put primary medical services in Harthill out to tender without consultation, in light of the ruling of the Appeal Court in England in a judicial review of North East Derbyshire Primary Care Trust’s decisions in relation to th…
Answer · Andy Kerr: NHS boards are statutorilyresponsible for providing or securing primary medical services for their localpopulations. How that is achieved is a matter for each NHS board taking intoaccount the needs of the local population and local circumstances in accordance…
21 Nov 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what cognisance it has taken of the ruling of the Appeal Court in England, in a judicial review initiated by Pam Smith, that NHS patients had not been properly consulted by North East Derbyshire Primary Care Trust over the tendering and award of a contract for GP services in Langwith, Der…
Answer · Andy Kerr: NHS boards are statutorilyresponsible for providing or securing primary medical services for their localpopulations. How that is achieved is a matter for each NHS board taking intoaccount the needs of the local population and local circumstances.</p><p>NHS bo…
16 Nov 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what its policy is in relation to the contracting for primary medical services from for-profit companies.
Answer · Andy Kerr: The Primary Medical Services(Scotland) Act 2004 places a duty on NHS boards to provide or secure primary medicalservices for their populations. The <i>Act</i>provides the legal framework for NHS boards to discharge this duty by providingprimary medical servic…
16 Nov 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what communications it has had with Simon Stevens, President of United Healthcare and former adviser to the Prime Minister, regarding the tendering of primary medical services and what the (a) content and (b) outcome was of any such communications.
Answer · Andy Kerr: The Scottish Executive has hadno communications with Simon Stevens regarding the tendering of primary medicalservices.</p>
16 Nov 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what communications it has had with United Healthcare regarding the tendering of primary medical services and what the (a) content and (b) outcome was of any such communications.
Answer · Andy Kerr: The Scottish Executive has hadno communications with United Healthcare regarding the tendering of primary medicalservices.</p>
16 Nov 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what communications it has had with NHS Lanarkshire regarding the tendering of primary medical services and what the (a) content and (b) outcome was of any such communications.
Answer · Andy Kerr: The Scottish Executive has regularcontact with NHS Lanarkshire, as it does with all NHS boards, on a wide range ofissues.</p><p>NHS boards are statutorily responsiblefor providing or securing primary medical services for their local populations.How that is ac…
14 Nov 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on which countries use the MMR vaccine, in light of statements by the UK Department of Health that the vaccine is used in over 90 countries.
Answer · Andy Kerr: The information is availableat <ahref="http://www.mmrthefacts.nhs.uk/worldmap/usingmmr.php">http://www.mmrthefacts.nhs.uk/worldmap/usingmmr.php</a>.</p><p>This information was obtainedfrom the World Health Organization (WHO) country profile website, which is …
26 Oct 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive which local authorities and schools have implemented, or intend to implement, the Call to Love approach to education on sex and relationships
Answer · Peter Peacock: Called to Love is the workingtitle for the joint work being undertaken by Healthy Respect and the Scottish CatholicEducation Service. The pilot project aims to produce a package of teaching materialsand training opportunities to support Relationships and Mora…
26 Oct 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive which local authorities and schools have implemented, or intend to implement, the abstinence-only approach to education on sex and relationships
Answer · Peter Peacock: It is a matter for local authoritiesand schools to decide what they teach, with guidance from the Scottish Executive. All schools are expected to teach sex and relationshipseducation (SRE). The National Sexual Health Strategy defines the best SRE programmes a…
3 Oct 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what legislation allows a NHS board to require that a patient pays for all aspects of their treatment if they opt to pay for a particular drug treatment not available on the NHS due to cost.
Answer · Andy Kerr: There is no legislation thatallows NHS boards to require that a patient pays for all aspects of their treatmentif they opt to pay for a particular drug treatment not available from the NHS.</p>
28 Sep 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will guarantee that Modernising Medical Careers will not lead to centralisation and closure of hospitals or departments in the NHS.
Answer · Andy Kerr: The key principle ofModernising Medical Careers (MMC) is to ensure that service delivery ismaintained. In accordance with <i>Delivering for Health</i>, MMC will provide suitablyskilled doctors for the services that the NHS Scotland needs. It is a UK-widelong-…
28 Sep 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many hours of service to the NHS by anaesthetists will be rostered in each of the next 10 years.
Answer · Andy Kerr: Information on the projectedrostered hours of service by anaesthetists is not held centrally.</p>
28 Sep 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many rostered hours of service to the NHS by anaesthetists are currently delivered in Scotland.
Answer · Andy Kerr: Information on the rostered hoursof service by anaesthetists is not held centrally.</p>
28 Sep 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many whole-time equivalent anaesthetists are projected to provide a service to the NHS as part of a rota in each of the next 10 years.
Answer · Andy Kerr: Information on the projectednumber of whole-time equivalent anaesthetists who will provide a service as partof a rota is not held centrally.</p>
28 Sep 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many whole-time equivalent anaesthetists currently provide a service to the NHS as part of a rota.
Answer · Andy Kerr: Information on the number ofwhole-time equivalent anaesthetists who currently provide a service as part of arota is not held centrally.</p>
28 Sep 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will publish any previously unpublished workforce planning documentation relating to Modernising Medical Careers.
Answer · Andy Kerr: Documentation relating to workforceplanning and Modernising Medical Careers are, to date, working papers and will notbe published. The outcome, including medical specialty training numbers for August2007, will be published as part of the National Workforce Pl…
21 Sep 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many schools and pupils will be included in any plans to implement first aid education for pupils in schools.
Answer · Peter Peacock: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-28580 on 4 October 2006. All answers to writtenparliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facilityfor which can be found at <ahref="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa…
21 Sep 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has, and what resources it will allocate, to implement first aid education for pupils in schools.
Answer · Peter Peacock: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-28580 on 4 October 2006. All answers to writtenparliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facilityfor which can be found at <ahref="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa…
21 Sep 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it supports the British Red Cross campaign for first aid education for pupils in schools.
Answer · Peter Peacock: Health education is an importantelement of every young person’s education. We expect all schools to provide healtheducation within a comprehensive programmeof personal and social education. However, it is for individual schools and localauthorities to decide …
21 Sep 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, following the release of information showing that 25 English and Welsh hospitals used potentially contaminated body parts, allegedly stolen in the United States of America, for orthopaedic surgery, whether any Scottish hospitals have received and used such body parts and, if so, what act…
Answer · Andy Kerr: No hospitals in Scotlandreceived such body parts.</p>
20 Sep 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress it has made in ensuring that appropriate education and training is in place, at the appropriate time, to enable practising denturists to maintain their livelihoods following implementation of the amendment to the Dentists Act 1984.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: Since 31 July 2006 clinicaldental technicians (denturists) have been required to register with the GeneralDental Council (GDC) before they can practise. Registration is on the basis of qualificationsapproved by the GDC.</p><p>Registered dental technicianswho …
20 Sep 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether, in light of the announcement by the Department of Health in England of the development of a national service framework for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), it intends to direct NHS Quality Improvement Scotland to design and implement clinical standards of care for CO…
Answer · Andy Kerr: NHS Quality Improvement Scotland (QIS)has independent status and determines its own work programme, taking fullaccount of NHS Scotland priorities.</p><p>Implementation of the modelof long-term conditions management set out in <i>Delivering for Health</i> will…
5 Sep 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to review the arrangements in place for vulnerable witnesses.
Answer · Hugh Henry: We have already implemented thoseparts of The Vulnerable Witnesses (Scotland) Act 2004 which help child and adult vulnerable witnessesin High Court and sheriff court solemn proceedings and children’s hearings to givetheir evidence. We have appointed independe…
5 Sep 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made in reaching agreement with local government unions on the future of the Local Government Pension Scheme, particularly in relation to the Rule of 85, and what the Executive’s intentions are in respect of this issue.
Answer · Tom McCabe: Discussions between the Scottish Executive, Unions and COSLA on proposals for a new Local GovernmentPension Scheme are on-going. The last meeting was on 23 August 2006 and furthermeetings are scheduled on a regular basis.</p><p>On the related issue of theremo…